No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,14
and saw her. An appealing half smile formed on his lips as he rose politely to his feet. His manners certainly couldn’t be faulted.
“Another early bird,” he said, pulling out the barstool next to him. “There’s coffee if you want it. If you don’t care for that, there’s orange juice in the fridge. Freshly squeezed, of course. Jeanette wouldn’t have any other kind.”
As Robin crossed the black and white tile floor, she hoped Wade wouldn’t take forever to get ready. The last thing she wanted was one-on-one time with Reece. “Until they find a way to put caffeine in oranges, I’ll stick with coffee.”
“I’m with you. I’m not human until I’ve had at least two cups.” He slid the carafe and one of the bright yellow mugs in her direction before resuming his seat. “Is this your first trip to Savannah?”
Robin took a moment to pour her coffee before answering. “It is. I can see why so many people visit here in the spring. Everywhere you look something is blooming.”
“If you like gardens, old buildings, and cobblestone streets, you should have Wade take you to the historic district.”
“I’m not sure we’ll have time. We’re supposed to meet up with one of Wade’s college friends this afternoon.”
Reece refilled his cup. “Another time, then. I’m sure this won’t be your last visit. Is your cake shop the one in The Landings? The name escapes me at the moment. My personal assistant is always bringing in cupcakes from there.”
“It’s called Truly Scrumptious, and yes, we’re located in The Landings.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I should’ve remembered that. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of my aunt’s favorite movies. I must have seen it ten or twenty times growing up.”
If she hadn’t known about his womanizing tendencies, Robin might have found herself liking Reece. He was easy to talk to, and he didn’t come off as your typical arrogant rich guy. “You’re one of the few people I’ve run across who knows the connection to the movie.”
“It’s the name of the main female character, isn’t it?”
“What is?” Wade asked, coming through the door.
She smiled in his direction. “The name of my shop.”
He chuckled as he came up beside her. “Truly Scrumptious is the perfect description for you as well.” Uncaring of their audience, he proceeded to give her a leisurely kiss. “Breakfast won’t be for a while. Mom’s got this thing about everyone eating together. Let’s go for a walk. I wouldn’t mind checking out Carlson’s new toy. Maybe if I’m really nice to him, he’ll let me borrow it. That’s about the closest I’ll get to owning a yacht.”
To Robin’s horror, the room began to spin. She instinctively shut her eyes. When she reopened them, she found Reece’s thoughtful gaze on her. Feeling exposed and oddly defenseless, she quickly shifted her glance to Wade. He was grabbing a handful of pistachios from a glass bowl. He hadn’t seen anything. Not yet, anyway. That wouldn’t be the case if they got anywhere close to his stepfather’s boat. A lifelong fear doesn’t suddenly disappear.
Wade cracked open one of the shells and popped a pistachio in his mouth. Then he turned to Reece. “You’re welcome to come with us.”
It would have been rude to exclude Reece, but that didn’t stop Robin from hoping he’d refuse.
After a short pause during which she didn’t dare look in his direction, Reece said, “Thanks, man, I think I will.”
She hadn’t thought the situation could get any worse. Having a second witness to what was undoubtedly going to be an epic fail definitely qualified. With a sinking heart, she trailed Wade to the door leading to the veranda. There was no way this was going to end well.
The threesome descended a wide set of stairs and followed a sidewalk cutting through the well-manicured lawn. The beauty of the morning was lost on Robin. With each step, the churning in her stomach increased in intensity. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t obey the voice in her head urging her to turn and run.
By the time they reached the dock, she was finding it hard to breathe. The gleaming white boat rocking on the water seemed to mock her, as if it could sense her terror and hear the frantic beating of her heart. Any second now she’d be expected to climb aboard. Barring a miracle, she was poised to make a fool of herself or worse. A situation that could have been avoided with a single conversation had morphed into